An object of an embodiment of the present invention is directed to a method for conveying materials in a pneumatic material conveying system.
An object of an embodiment of the present invention is directed to an apparatus for conveying materials in a pneumatic material conveying system.
An object of an embodiment of the present invention is directed to a waste conveying system that uses an apparatus for conveying materials in a pneumatic material conveying system.
The invention relates generally to pneumatic material conveying systems, such as to partial-vacuum conveying systems, more particularly to the collection and conveying of wastes, such as to the conveying of household wastes.
Systems wherein wastes are conveyed in piping by means of suction are known in the art. In these, wastes are conveyed long distances in the piping by sucking. The apparatuses are used for, among other things, the conveying of wastes in different institutions. It is typical to these systems that a partial-vacuum apparatus is used to achieve a pressure difference, in which apparatus a partial vacuum is achieved in the conveying pipe with partial-vacuum generators, such as with vacuum pumps or with an ejector apparatus. A conveying pipe typically comprises at least one valve means, by opening and closing which the replacement air coming into the conveying pipe is regulated. One of the convenient solutions of new regional building projects is waste management that will operate with a pipe transport system. This means that sorted wastes are sucked along underground pipes to a waste station that is common to the whole region. The system is clean, odorless and noise-free, and is also a more environmentally friendly solution than the conventional waste management and safer from the viewpoint of the adjacent area. In regional building sites in which it has been decided to use a pneumatic pipe transport system in waste transportation, it is typical that it is necessary to build conveying piping to completion and a shared waste station for the region even though the whole construction project would progress slowly and in stages. In this case it is necessary to build the system to completion in respect of the conveying piping and the waste station, although the construction project might last for years or even decades. The capacity of the piping and of the waste station of the system has, however, been made ready taking into account the amount of users to be realized at some time in the future.
The aim of the present invention is to achieve a new type of solution in connection with material conveying systems, by means of which solution the drawbacks of prior art solutions are avoided. Another aim of the invention is to achieve a solution applicable to partial-vacuum conveying systems, by means of which it is possible to modularly increase the size of the system, and in which e.g. the commissioning of equipment that is unnecessary with respect to the capacity requirement, and in a stage that is too early, can be avoided.